So you need to figure out the year of production for your Fender guitar or bass. You're not alone. Fenders rank as the most frequently bought and sold instruments on Reverb, and finding a precise date of manufacture can be key to determining the value and specifics of an instrument.

The most important thing to keep in mind when dating a Fender is the highly modular nature of the designs. Like Henry Ford, part of Leo Fender's genius was in optimizing the company's production efficiency. His guitars were built en masse by an entire factory, not a single luthier toiling over one instrument at a time. Features like bolt-on necks and pickups wired into the pickguard all helped the Fender factory churn out guitar after guitar, day after day. This also means that various parts used on a particular guitar may have come from different points in time, so no single number can absolutely define when the instrument was built.

Instead, the best approach to dating a Fender is to combine indicators from the design of the instrument, the dates found on the neck and body, along with the serial number.

Design Changes and Features

Perhaps the best place to start when dating your Fender is to get an approximate idea of the era based on the instrument's design and components. This can be a tall order for someone less versed in guitar history, but we do have some resources here on Reverb to help you out.

For starters, there's the Reverb Price Guide which has thousands of entries with pictures and details on various guitars and other gear. Some browsing around the Fender section of the Price Guide can definitely help you find which model you have.

Body and Neck Dates

Through much of Fender's production history, Fender workers would print or write a production date on both bodies and necks where the two pieces meet. These dates will tell when the original part was manufactured, but are not exact indicators of when the guitar was actually put together and finished.

Here is what the neck date and body date look like from a 1952 Telecaster:

If you're not comfortable removing the neck of a guitar to peek at the date marker, I encourage you to take it to a local tech or luthier.

I will also mention briefly pot-codes as a resource (numbers on the internal potentiometers of the guitar). These can definitely be useful in cases where no other numbers exist, but just tell when the pot itself was made. Who knows how long it was waiting in the Fender factory before finding its way into a Tele?

Serial Numbers

Like the body and neck dates, using serial numbers to date a Fender is not a sure bet. At many points in Fender's history, serial number usage overlapped again owing to the modular manner of production. Below we'll go into detail about the various serial number schemes employed by Fender as far back as 1950. There are certainly plenty of exceptions, so again, using serial numbers in conjunction with other dating methods is always the best bet.

Click on the links here to jump directly to the serial number style that matches your instrument:

The Early Years: 1950 - 1954

In the early years, Fender serial numbers schemes were specific to the model. Esquires, Broadcasters and Telecasters shared a serial number sequence, while the landmark Precision Bass had its own system. In this early period, the serial number can be found on the bridge of the instrument (see image).

Here are the rough serial number ranges for the early Esquires and Telecasters:

0001 to 0999

1950 - 1952

000 to 5300

1952 - 1954

And here are the ranges for the original Precision Basses:

161 to 357

1951

299 to 619

1952

0001 to 0160

1952

0161 to 0470

1951 - 1952

0475 to 0840

1952 - 1953

0848 to 1897

1953 - 1954

Also, for the first half or so of 1954, the inaugural run of Stratocasters had a distinct number sequence all under number 6000.

Classic Serial Numbers - 1954 - 1963

By mid-1954, Fender began using a universal serial number sequence for all its instruments. At this time, the location of the serial number also shifted from the bridge to the neckplate (the metal plate located on back of where the neck meets the body).

Here's how the serial numbers break down from 1954 to the beginning of 1963, though there are some areas of inconsistency in this era:

0001 to 7000

1954

7000 to 9000

1955

9000 to 17000

1956

17000 to 25000

1957

25000 to 34000

1958

34000 to 44000

1959

44000 to 59000

1960

59000 to 71000

1961

71000 to 93000

1962

93000 to 99999

1963

L Series - The Transition Period of 1963 to 1965

At the very end of 1962 and into 1963, Fender changed to a system where serial numbers began with an "L." According to some accounts, the L was supposed to just be a 1 to mark the cross over into the 100,000 range from the previous scheme, but an L was used by mistake.

Here the range of the L-series serial used each year. Some of the earliest ones actually popped up in late 1962 as well:

0L00001 to L20000

1963

L20000 to L59000

1964

L59000 to L99999

1965

F Series - CBS Era 1965 - 1976

After the CBS purchase of Fender in 1965, the factory switched to a new serial sequence with numbers that continued the same general format used prior to the takeover. These are generally referred to as F series due the large Fender branded F on the neckplates of the era. This period also saw a switch from the orginal four-bolt neckplate of the '60s to a three-bolt neckplate in just one example of cost-saving costs introduced under CBS.

100000 to 110000

late 1965

110000 to 200000

1966

200000 to 210000

1967

210000 to 250000

1968

250000 to 280000

1969

280000 to 300000

1970

300000 to 340000

1971

340000 to 370000

1972

370000 to 520000

1973

500000 to 580000

1974

580000 to 690000

1975

690000 to 750000

1976

Post 1976

Starting in 1976, Fender transitioned to a new serial number scheme and moved the placement of most serial numbers to the headstock of the instrument. Depending on the era and model, the number can be found on either the front or back of the headstock.

After a short period of overlap with the old system, the post-76 numbers will start with a letter that indicates the decade, followed by a number that indicates the year of that decade. The decade letter codes break down like this: S = 1970s, E = 1980s, N = 1990s, Z = 2000s. In the 2000s, you'll also see serials starting with a DZ which indicates the Deluxe series, but the format is otherwise the same.

For example, a serial number with N4 would be from 1994. One starting with Z5 would be from 2005.

This scheme is not 100% consistent due to a number of production factors, such as Fender producing more serialized decals than needed in a given year. This is particularly pronounced in the transitional period of the mid-'80s, though the system has been pretty much on point since about 1990.

After 2009, the letter changed to a format starting with US then two digits that tell the year of the current decade.

Here's the breakdown of Post-1976 American-made Fender serials:

76 + 5 digits

1976

S6 + 5 digits

1976

S7 + 5 digits

1977 - 1978

S8 + 5 digits

1978

S9 + 5 digits

1978 - 1979

E0 + 5 digits

1979 - 1981

E1 + 5 digits

1980 - 1982

E2 + 5 digits

1982 - 1983

E3 + 5 digits

1982 - 1985

E4 + 5 digits

1984 - 1988

E8 + 5 digits

1988 - 1989

E9 + 5 digits

1989 - 1990

N9 + 5 digits

1990

N0 + 5 digits

1990 - 1991

N1 + 5 or 6 digits

1991 - 1992

N2 + 5 or 6 digits

1992 - 1993

N3 + 5 or 6 digits

1993 - 1994

N4 + 5 or 6 digits

1994 - 1995

N5 + 5 or 6 digits

1995 - 1996

N6 + 5 or 6 digits

1996 - 1997

N7 + 5 or 6 digits

1997 - 1998

N8 + 5 or 6 digits

1998 - 1999

N9 + 5 or 6 digits

1999 - 2000

Z0 + 5 or 6 digits

2000 - 2001

Z2 + 5 or 6 digits

2001 - 2002

Z3 + 5 or 6 digits

2003 - 2004

Z4 + 5 or 6 digits

2004 - 2005

Z5 + 5 or 6 digits

2005 - 2006

Z6 + 5 or 6 digits

2006 - 2007

Z7 + 5 or 6 digits

2007 - 2008

Z8 + 5 or 6 digits

2008 - 2009

Z9 + 5 or 6 digits

2009 - 2010

US10 + 6 digits

2010

US11 + 6 digits

2011

US12 + 6 digits

2012

US13 + 6 digits

2013

US14 + 6 digits

2014

Signature Series

American-made signature series instruments follow a very similar scheme to the above, but use a prefix S before the decade letter. For example, a Signature Series guitar from 1998 would have a serial starting with SN8 followed by five digits.

American Vintage Reissue models

The major exception to all of this is the American Vintage Reissue (AVRI) series. These have serial numbers starting with V and do not strictly correlate to years. The neck dates on these guitars, however, are usually reliable.

Made in Japan Fender Serials

Fender Japan serial numbers can usually be found on the back of the neck near the neck joint. Though examples also exist with the number on the headstock or the neck-plate in the case of certain early reissue models. Up until 1997, the serial was paired with the words "Made in Japan."

In 1982, Fender expanded operations with a series of instruments produced in Japan by the Fuji Gen Gakki company. Like the US serial numbers, MIJ (made in Japan) serials start with a letter or pair of letters that indicate the rough year of production. This system, however, is notoriously inconsistent and incomplete, which makes dating by serial number even less reliable for MIJ Fenders.

Here's a breakdown of serials for the "Made in Japan" era:

JV + 5 digits

1982 - 1984

SQ + 5 digits

1983 - 1984

E + 6 digits

1984 - 1987

A + 6 digits

1985 - 1986

B + 6 digits

1985 - 1986

C + 6 digits

1985 - 1986

F + 6 digits

1986 - 1987

G + 6 digits

1987 - 1988

H + 6 digits

1988 - 1989

I + 6 digits

1989 - 1990

J + 6 digits

1989 - 1990

K + 6 digits

1990 - 1991

J + 6 digits

1990 - 1991

K + 6 digits

1990 - 1991

L + 6 digits

1991 - 1992

M + 6 digits

1992 - 1993

N + 6 digits

1993 - 1994

O + 6 digits

1993 - 1994

P + 6 digits

1993 - 1994

Q + 6 digits

1993 - 1994

S + 6 digits

1994 - 1995

T + 6 digits

1994 - 1995

U + 6 digits

1995 - 1996

N + 5 digits

1995 - 1996

V + 6 digits

1996 - 1997

Crafted in Japan Serial Numbers

In 1997, Fender changed the "Made in Japan" decal to say "Crafted in Japan." There is some overlap with the earlier "MIJ" serials, so it's important to note if your instrument carries the "Made in Japan" or "Crafted in Japan" decal.

Here are the serial numbers for the "Crafted in Japan" or "CIJ" era:

A + 6 digits

1997 - 1998

O + 6 digits

1997 - 2000

P + 6 digits

1999 - 2002

Q + 6 digits

2002 - 2004

R + 6 digits

2004 - 2005

S + 6 digits

2006 - 2008

T + 6 digits

2007 - 2008

After 2007, Fender Japan switched back to marking Fenders as "Made in Japan" though for a few years instruments with both decals were made. Serial numbers since this transition have continued the same sequence as the "CIJ" era.

Made in Mexico Fender Serials

Fender opened a factory in Ensenada, Mexico in the late '80s and instruments started coming off the line in 1990. Mexican-made (MIM) Fenders carry a serial number on the headstock starting with an M. Some exceptions include a handful of special editions and signature models as well as the split US/Mexican-made California series which all have a "AMXN" at the beginning of their serials.

The MIM serial number scheme is actually very straight-forward. For Mexican Fenders made in the 1990s, the serial will start with an MN followed by a number that indicates the year of the decade. Instruments made in the 2000s follow the same form but start with MZ. For the 2010s, the prefix is MX1. For example, a serial number starting with MN2 would be 1992.

Here's the serial number breakdown for a majority of MIM Fenders:

MN0 + 5 or 6 digits

1990

MN1 + 5 or 6 digits

1991

MN2 + 5 or 6 digits

1992

MN3 + 5 or 6 digits

1993

MN4 + 5 or 6 digits

1994

MN5 + 5 or 6 digits

1995

MN6 + 5 or 6 digits

1996

MN7 + 5 or 6 digits

1997

MN8 + 5 or 6 digits

1998

MN9 + 5 or 6 digits

1999

MZ0 + 5 or 6 digits

2000

MZ1 + 5 or 6 digits

2001

MZ2 + 5 or 6 digits

2002

MZ3 + 5 or 6 digits

2003

MZ4 + 5 or 6 digits

2004

MZ5 + 5 or 6 digits

2005

MZ6 + 5 or 6 digits

2006

MZ7 + 5 or 6 digits

2007

MZ8 + 5 or 6 digits

2008

MZ9 + 5 or 6 digits

2009

MX10 + 6 digits

2010

MX11 + 6 digits

2011

MX12 + 6 digits

2012

MX13 + 6 digits

2013

MX14 + 6 digits

2014

Exceptions

There are a number of exceptions to all these serial number schemes. As mentioned above, many reissue models use serial numbers that don't really correlate to their age. Additionally, there have been plenty of artist models, limited editions and other rare models that use a unique serial number. Examples include the 35th anniversary series, many of the uniquely finished Strats from the early '80s, as well as various export-specific models which carry a serial number starting with FN.

Again, the serial number alone in any of these cases is not definitive and the best approach is to combine that with other methods like the neck and body dates, as well as just the features of the specific instrument. If you have any questions as to what Fender you're dealing with, I encourage you to seek out a local guitar shop or luthier to help figure it out.